遠とお回まわし

と

お

ま

わ

し

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

na-adjective, noun

roundabout; indirect; oblique

Describes speech, expression, or reference that avoids directness; often used with 言い方, 表現, or 批判. Functions as a な-adjective or noun.

彼かれは遠とお回まわしな言いい方かたで不ふ満まんを伝つたえた。
He expressed his dissatisfaction in a roundabout way.
遠とお回まわしに批ひ判はんするより、はっきり言いったほうがいい。
Instead of criticizing indirectly, it's better to say it clearly.

See all 37 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉を遠とお回まわしに言いうto say something in a roundabout way
彼かれは本ほん当とうのことを遠とお回まわしに言いった。
He told the truth in a roundabout way.
遠とお回まわしな言いい方かたをするto use a roundabout way of speaking
上じょう司しはいつも遠とお回まわしな言いい方かたをする。
My boss always speaks in a roundabout way.
〈人ひと〉を遠とお回まわしに批ひ判はんするto criticize someone indirectly
彼かの女じょは同どう僚りょうを遠とお回まわしに批ひ判はんした。
She indirectly criticized her colleague.
遠とお回まわしに断ことわるto decline something indirectly
彼かれはその誘さそいを遠とお回まわしに断ことわった。
He turned down the invitation in a roundabout way.

Kanji

遠distant, far
回-times, round, game
廻round, game, revolve

Related words· 6

婉えん曲きょくN1
婉曲 is a more formal, often written term for euphemistic or tactful indirectness, while 遠回し is the everyday word for roundabout speech.
回まわりくどい
回りくどい describes speech or explanation that is convoluted and long-winded, whereas 遠回し focuses on deliberately avoiding directness.
間かん接せつ的てき
間接的 means 'indirect' in a broad sense (e.g., an indirect cause or method), while 遠回し is specifically about indirect verbal expression.
間かん接せつN2
遠回し specifically describes vague or roundabout speech to avoid being blunt, whereas 間接 is the broader, more formal term for anything not direct (cause, method, tax, etc.).

Show 2 more

それとなくN1
遠回し is a na-adjective/noun describing speech or expression as roundabout, while それとなく is an adverb describing the tactful, casual manner of conveying something.
やんわりN1
遠回し emphasizes avoiding direct expression (beating around the bush), while やんわり emphasizes overall softness and gentleness of tone rather than indirectness alone.

Opposites

率そっ直ちょくN2
率直 describes speech that is frank and straightforward, the opposite of the vague, indirect manner of 遠回し.
あからさまN1
遠回し means indirect or roundabout, the opposite of あからさま's open, direct bluntness.
ズケズケN1
遠回し describes speaking in an indirect, roundabout way to soften the message, the opposite of ズケズケ's blunt directness.
ずばりN2
遠回し means indirect or roundabout, the opposite of ずばり's blunt, straight-to-the-point manner of speaking.

Written forms

遠とお回まわしUsage34%
Standard kanji spelling with high news frequency.
遠とおまわしUsage63%
Common mixed kana-kanji spelling; the okurigana まわし makes the reading clear.
遠とお廻まわしUsage4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form using the older 廻 character; not used in modern writing.

Etymology

Compound of 遠 (とお, 'far') + 回し (まわし, nominalized form of 回す, 'to turn, send around'). Literally 'sending around the long way', referring to speech that takes a circuitous route instead of being direct.